Orc
| type = Natural humanoid | subtype = | location = Abeir, Toril | language = Giant (Many-Arrows), Orcish }} Orcs are a race of humanoids that have been a pest to the civilized cultures of Toril, particularly Faerûn for as long as any can remember. This changed somewhat in the years preceding and immediately after the Spellplague mountain orcs under the command of Obould Many-Arrows have unified into a single kingdom that is remarkably civilized. Ecology Physical Characteristics Orcs vary in appearance, based on region and subrace, but all share certain physical qualities. Orcs of all kinds usually have grayish skin, coarse hair, stooped postures, low foreheads, and porcine faces that feature lower canines that resemble boar tusks. Many also have wolf-like ears that are pointed on the ends, similar to elves. Orcs are roughly the same size as humans. Orcs breed fast and live short lives compared with most other races. Pyschology Orcs have poor temperaments and are given to anger more easily than some races. Easily offended and impatient, orcs generally prefer violent solutions and rarely consider multiple ways of approaching a problem. However, in spite of this many orcs are excellent at getting results, since they are creatures of action, not thought. Some exceptions to this profile do exist, however, such as the famed King Obould whose deeds were accomplished through planning and insight. Culture Traditional orcish culture is extremely warlike and when not at war the race is usually planning for it. Most orcs approach life with the belief that to survive, one must subjugate potential enemies and control as much resources as possible, which puts them naturally at odds with other races as well as themselves. This belief is spurred in part by Gruumsh and his pantheon, which teaches that all races are inferior to the orcs. Eyes of Gruumsh are orcs specially tied to the one-eyed god and offer sacrifices, read omens, and advise tribes through Gruumsh's will. Male orcs dominate most orcish societies and females are usually, at best, prized possessions and little better than livestock at worst. Male orcs pride themselves on their number of wives and sons, as well as their scars from battle and rituals. Orcs also prize the possession of slaves, though relatively few own them. Most orcs don't build cities of their own, instead relying on those left behind by others and improving their fortifactions or operating out of small camps and dens, often in natural caves. Orcs can manage ironwork on thier own, as well as stonework, though their tools are often inferior to those of more disciplined races. Most orcs are part of a confederation of tribes, loosely held together by a despotic chieftain. Bands within these alliances might wander far from their homelands, but continue to greet those orcs who belong to the same tribal network as kin. Orc bloodragers are champions of their tribe, who use primal strength and ferocity to overcome their enemies. Most are bodyguards or lower-ranking chiefs within the tribal structure. Kingdom of Many-Arrows A subset of orcs belonging to a state first formed a century ago by the legendary Obould Many-Arrows differ from the majority of their kin in cultural attitudes. While most orcs are warlike and savage the orcs of Many-Arrows, ruled over by King Obould XVII, are remarkably civilized, to a point that has made their neighbors curious. These orcs maintain a tenuous peace with the dwarves or Mithral Hall and the other races in Luruar, though many suspect war could break out at any moment should the delicate balance between the races be upset. It is from this region that the most unusual orcs sometimes emerge - heroes. History No one knows from where orcs originally came, though they appear to be non-native to either Abeir or Toril. The first legends of orcs tell of the wars between their primary god Gruumsh and Corellon Larethian, the creator of the elves and eladrin. The latter two races tell of how Corellon defeated Gruumsh and took his eye, though many orcs deny this charge, though they acknowledge Gruumsh as the one-eyed god. However, in spite of this early conflict, orcs did not appear en masse until long after this. During the Days of Thunder when Abeir-Toril was yet united the first orcs were brought over to the twin worlds by the creator races, who built a portal in the Spine of the World mountain range that opened up to the home plane of the orcs. Through this portal the ancestors of the mountain orcs poured through and gradually migrated southwards. Later, the Imaskari repeated the mistake of the creator races, opening up another portal through which the gray orcs, a variant subrace, appeared. This led to the Orcgate Wars during which Gruumsh and his allies slew most of the Untheric pantheon. Eventually the portal was closed, though the new breed of orcs remained behind. For millennia orcs have plagued civilizations as raiders and pillaging hordes but more recently a confederacy of orc tribes united under the banner of King Obould Many-Arrows, a chosen of Gruumsh, forged a more civilized nation known as the Kingdom of Many-Arrows, located along the northern borders of Luruar. In spite of tensions between the orcs of Many-Arrows and other nations, the kingdom has not waged war against its neighbors for decades and by all appearances seems interested in peace. Homelands Orcs can be found in many parts of Toril, though some areas have a higher concentration than others. Marauding bands of mountain orcs are most commonly found in mountain ranges in the northern parts of the world, particularly around Faerûn. Gray orcs are commonly found to the east, near the portal from which they emerged in High Imaskar. The orcs in the Sword Mountains were responsible for several conflicts with Waterdeep, including the Orcfastings War, and an onslaught caused by the Black Claw. They were also at least partially responsible for the Trollwars. However, of all the orcish homelands, Many-Arrows probably stands out the most as the only civilized orc nation built along the same lines as its human and elven neighbors. Subraces and Related Races ;Mountain orcs :The most common orc subrace, as well as the first historically accounted for, mountain orcs can be found throughout most of Faerûn, which they travel through along mountain ranges descended from the Spine of the World in the far north. ;Gray orcs :A less bestial and more civilized subrace of orcs brought to Faerûn during the Orcgate Wars through one of many Imaskari portals. ;Orogs :A breed of orcs descended from mountain orcs who live mostly in the Underdark, though in recent years they have been returning to the surface in large numbers and taking over Mountain orc tribes, using their abilities to bully their 'lessers' and plan raids. While not strictly subraces the result of a human and orc breeding is known as a half-orc while the offspring of a half-fiend and orc is a tanarukk. Orcish Hordes The orcs are an ancient species, their hatred for the human race is unmatched. Orcs believe that they are eternally at war with mankind. It's true that humans think that orcs are just brainless brutes, which was in fact real, but that age has gone and their intelligence has increased greatly, in fact an orc that went by the name of <":"/> (orcish text when written), Oblon Oblivion (orcish language when pronounced), The Green Hammer (The meaning), son of Grevious the leader of an orc mountain tribe named Gorvenus, based in the Akrab Mountains (the mountains iron) which was run by the Mercedez army (known as the army of the labyrinth, it is consisting of men whose god is the minotaur, their armour is bull-like, in respect of the heavenly fusion which unites bull and man to form the ultimate being). The orcs forged their weaponry and some even made armour from their surroundings, the mountain, nearby villages which they raided very often knowing that the soldiers wouldn't get there in time due to the distance between. The orcs were a primitive humanoid/goblinoid race who were driven to the brink of extinction in most parts of the world because of man, there are such seasons involving orc hunting. Oblon Oblivious changed the face of the orc for ever, he spent years taking the ignorance of man but in the meanwhile he accepted it, he was secretly configuring a new line of military for them to ensure that the survival of the orc would last through winter and maybe one day make the human race face certain doom, he developed a military program so sophisticated that even the humans could not figure out how it operated, he had the orcs adopt the human language also, and made certain armour and weapons, he developed new types of orcs and with in 5 days of his finish he united every mountain orc tribe, he put them under special training for every type, he evolved their intelligence to a wider selection. And with in 1.7 weeks he destroyed the Mercedez army, it went so fast because the underestimated the orc, they came swarming out of the mountains in massive numbers with a strategic military plan. Orcish Military Camps (The Preparations Taking Place) Orcs organize bands of trained soldiers, bands consist of 10,000 orcs per, bands are places into unite, units consist of about 50 bands, there are so many types of different units over thousands, units are placed with in sectors which contain 100 units, 5 of which are multiplied (5 of the same units). which are there for put into legions or as the orcish terms describe it "Hordes". The have also developed a fusion technique, a fusion of 2 bands which are called "Doom Codes" in doom codes thay just don't have another band match up beside, they equalize it out for a perfect shape consisting of 20,000 strong, at the sign of a hand signal the single band, every orc soldier steps 5 inches from his other companions so that everyone is separated as an individual, then the second band walks into the first band and when they find their place in line, then at another hand signal they lock at the same time and make a solid. But on top of all these bands, units, sectors, and that, there are positions above, there are 2 types of hordes. One hordes is the main army that out, the other hordes consist of completely different units, and are also known as the stronger horde. References Category:Orcs Category:Humanoids de:Orks